#notebook system

[annadiplosis]

A few months ago I posted a couple photos of my index cards, saying I still didn’t know how and where I’d keep them, and I’ve since developed an Archiving System that combines the cards with a digital spreadsheet and has taken more hours than I will ever admit.

So, since I don’t have a “notebook system” to speak of, I'd like to share the way I archive my journals / sketchbooks / whatever you wanna call them, because I’m very proud of it, and who knows, someone might find it helpful :)

WHY I NEED AN ARCHIVING SYSTEM

The reason I don’t have a notebook system is because I use my books for absolutely everything, from sketches to grocery lists and journaling. It is crucial to me to not have any restrictions or expectations when it comes to my books, and that’s how I’ve managed to fill 43 of them over the years.

But of course, when you’ve been using notebooks without a system for most of your life and you want to read a specific entry, you can easily spend a full hour flipping through a sea of paper until you stumble upon those notes on the Bubonic Plague you took in 2011 or whatever you were trying to find.

SO HERE’S WHAT I DO

When I finish a notebook, I try to determine what its most important contents are: stuff I might want to reference in the future (project ideas, meeting notes) or is very characteristic of a period in my life (friends' drawings, travel logs). Every single page contributes to making the notebook what it is and gives it a unique personality, but not all of them are gonna be keepers, and that's fine (I'd even say fundamental, at least in my case).

These are the extremely generic categories I sort my Chosen Entries into. It's similar to the dot system so many people use, just applied retroactively:

🟣 Study notes 🔵 Work 🟢 Personal 🟡 Projects 🔴 Misc

And here's where the real archiving begins. This info goes into:

1. THE INDEX CARDS

(I always write them in Catalan; this one's a mockup and most of these are not real entries)

A little piece of cardboard with the notebook number, its start and end dates, and most important contents. I keep each index card inside its corresponding notebook, either in its own backpocket or an adhesive one I stick there myself.

This way, whenever I want to take a quick look through the book, I get a general idea of its contents at first glance. Sometimes, just holding it in my hand and reading the index card brings me back to the time when I was keeping it, and that time-travel feeling gives me a rush like no other. I don't know if you can tell, but I'm crazy about my notebooks.

2. THE SPREADSHEET

Same as before, just a couple more pieces of info (number of months, physical description) added to a file with the rest of my notebooks' data. Again, these are not real entries for privacy and language reasons, but they're very similar to the kind of stuff I do keep. The spreadsheet helps me find specific entries with a simple ctrl+f, and it's also a bird's-eye view of my progress through the years as a notebook keeper. I can see when my interests shift, how long some of my most important projects took to come to fruition, and even similar types of entries that repeat every few years which I wasn't even aware of before putting it all together. Absolutely fascinating stuff.

I hope this was useful, or interesting at the very least! If you’re a notebook keeper trying to find their own archiving system, my main advice would be to start early so you don’t have to deal with almost two decades of material like I did :’)

If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask.

Good luck 🖤

[ghostingpen]

i finally posted my full 2025 journaling system :3 feel free to check it out on my neocities:

https://ghostingpen.neocities.org/journaling/currentsetup

[eggbunni]

Watching YouTube and sketching in my Plotter Bible.

[raining-tulips]

journal system updates

[red1culous]

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

*peering down at my own genetic sequence* uh-huh uh-huh bold choice bold fucking choices my friend

[beatrizjournal]

I must say that I have finally found some planner peace, I have been using my a5 ring binder and just updating that system for the past 3 weeks. It isn’t much but I am feeling the relief of consistency and I just hope this feeling last. 🕯️📎

.

(Pages are from @petite-gloom)

[sleepytecho]

my pocket rings ٩(◕‿◕)۶

[blumenbandit]

this is what its like to be free

[crimson-kas]

“It is a good idea, then, to keep in touch, and I suppose that keeping in touch is what notebooks are all about.” — Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook

I designed these commonplace inserts to encourage me to make connections with what I’m reading and what I’ve read previously. As I commonplace more, I’ll be able to fill out the other sections of this insert, which will get me linking together my thoughts on various subjects.

[philosophybits]

There are some who take up falsehood as one takes up a religious life. And with the same wonderful impulse, that is certain.

Albert Camus, Notebooks, 1942-1951

[faalthien]

Bingqiu 3D-ish notebook!! Used to house my chinese textbook, currently empty (wth am I going to do with these??).

Including, with lessons learned:

🍃 Soft cloth cover. (but not a softcover - note to self: look into thinner bookbinding carton if I'm gonna do layered pieces. You could brain a guy with this. Fun, but collects fluff like my AO3 history on a rainy day)

🍃 Binghe's Mark! (my own version bc my brain latched on. Holds up surprisingly well)

🍃 Removable pages (the removable ties are still a bit worn, but I was lazy to find proper ones) and 360° opening for ease of note taking.

🍃 A spine! (this one I usually skip. I was trying to figure out how to do a spine while keeping the whole thing flexible enough to open all the way around and to accommodate with different amounts of paper inside, and I think the soft cloth spine worked it well.)

🍃 Not at all subtle bingqiu inner covers.

🍃 My inability to take proper pics (sorry).

[gildedplans]

My gorgeous, gorgeous musings journal! More information below the cut ♡♡

INFO

- Kokuyo systemic A5 Cover

- Hobinichi Cousin Avec A5

- Midori Clear Cover A5

[bokudara5777]

im a bit too embarrassed to post these on my ig story for some reason, so ill post it here for now;;

[sevenofdeers]

06.02.2024

a hobonichi a6 avec, a fieldnotes journal & a hobinichi day free a6 in my cover from cadenta notebooks on etsy (and of course my trusty snoopy pen)

[gameo-archive]

"My ?s for George Rexstrew were not that great, but he was still patiently trying to give each of them a proper answer. He answered my submissions OOO though. 1st vid but 2nd sub.

Mirror hop w/ the livings in bag of tricks

Crystal's passport & full name

#DeadBoyDetectives"

Is the show YA or adult?

Can you mirror hop with people by putting them in the bag of tricks?

How did Crystal international travel but was not aware of her full name/passport, or no passport and she uses her power?

"1st submission but 2nd video. (The order doesn't really matter. I just want to keep everything straight for myself.)

Charles & Crystal's goodbye kiss. Edwin's thought & feeling.

Did the out of order filming affect the scene?"

When I saw Charles and Crystal's goodbye kiss I thought, poor Edwin! How cruel of Charles to do that in front of him after the confession. It reminded me of that famous panel from the comics. I get that Charles thought it was the final goodbye but still. I want to know Edwin's thought and feeling in that moment. And also, do they change after inviting Crystal into the group?

Did the out of order filming affect the scene?

"A bit more info on the notebook.

Asked about the crossed out "Do not ring" for the Limbo's bell. (I'm still confused about his answer. Shouldn't it be NOT crossed out if it's correct to not ring?)

How DBD would deal w/ non-western cultures' monsters, myths, beliefs etc."

You said the maps of Hell have existed for a long time, so did Edwin draw them as soon as he got out?

How did they acquire the notebook and bag of tricks?

How was Edwin able to get the family emblem on it?

Why was 'do not ring' crossed out next to Limbo's bell?

How would DBD deal with non-Western cultures' monsters, mythologies, beliefs, etc.?

"(final Cameo)

Cut due to him mentioned my bday date. He was so wonderful about everything. Really appreciated this opportunity he's given us. And for a great cause as well.

Asked for fun facts/bts he hasn't shared with the press"

Can you share any fun facts or behind the scenes bloopers you haven't shared with the press?